The "living in cold places" advice thread - share yours!

There is certainly a lot to be said for dry feet (above), moist lips and warm hands. I like a toque (wool or acrylic hat) with ear flaps. Very cold weather needs a full face cover with holes for the eyes and breath.

A bedroom humidifier might be a good idea too.

I wanted to mention this. Fleece is great. The traditional advice is wool, because cotton gets sodden and when it’s wet, and even when damp can chill you rather than help keep you warm, whereas damp wool still helps keep you warm. But fleece works, too. And it’s cheap and you can buy most anything made of it.

(I read an article somewhere about how the used-fabric-to-get-turned-into-cheap-blanket industry in India has crashed because of the availability of cheap, brand-new fleece blankets these days. It’s apparently driven the price of bulk used clothing way down.)

I have bought multiples of the things that live in my pockets. So I have a pair of thin, lined leather gloves (suitable for driving, and for keeping the wind off my hands) in a pocket in every coat that might be used in cold weather. I also have a pair of earmuffs for each coat. If I need more warmth than the earmuffs or light gloves for ordinary stuff I use the hood (I love hoods) and pockets of the coat. I do have a pair of warm mittens for skiing, and a toque and a fur hat that I might use for skiing or if I’m shoveling the driveway. (The fur hat is good if it’s actively snowing, because it holds the snow far enough from my head that it doesn’t melt and get the hat wet until I bring it inside.) But normally the pockets/hood are good enough.

I also keep lip balm in the pockets of coats that I routinely wear below freezing. Not only does lip balm help keep your lips from chapping, but if it’s very cold, the thin layer of grease helps keep my exposed skin warm – in extremely cold weather I smear some on my cheeks and nose, as well as my lips. (The chin and forehead are protected by my hood.) In extremely cold weather you need a facemask, and perhaps goggles, but that kind of gear is unpleasant to wear, and I’ve only worn it when skiing in cold conditions (for skiing.) I don’t know that I own that stuff any more. Follow the lead of the locals – they will know what you need.

Oh, yeah, you’ll want one of those. Dry air is rough on the immune systems, as well as leading to chapping and such. And cold air doesn’t hold a lot of water, so when it warms up inside your home, it becomes extremely dry. You’ll want to add some water back.The simplest way is to just leave a pot of water resting on the radiator, but I like to have a humidifier running in my bedroom at night. I get the steam ones so I don’t have to worry about possible mold growing in it, but if you have little kids you might want one that doesn’t release hot steam.

Many newer = post 1990(?) houses in cold weather areas include a humidifier and “humidistat” in the central HVAC system. And these can be retrofitted to any forced air system of any vintage.

The OP would do well to understand what equipment their residence has and how to use it.

I’ve lived on the Prairies pretty much my entire life and the one thing I’ve recently discovered is neck gaiters. I wish I’d known about these years ago! I’m partial to the merino wool varieties.

You can use them in an astounding variety of ways, they are easy to maintain, and in a pinch you can double it up and use it as a mask in-store (And before you jump on me about effectivity vs a proper medical mask, I am aware, and it’s still better than those stupid masks with an exhalation valve).
Personally, I will intentionally underdress somewhat to acclimate to the falling temps at the beginning of the season but that’s something you will have to decide for yourself. We’ve had friends that came from Ethiopia and Zimbabwe that still hate the cold and couldn’t dress warmly enough even though they’ve been here (N.Alberta) for decades. YMMV.
Funny enough, shovelling the drive in November at -5C is bitter cold, doing the same in March is t-shirt weather; no exaggeration. Find an activity you enjoy and learn to love winter, especially if you haven’t spent any time in a true 4 season climate. Don’t forget a Thermos of hot chocolate as your reward for that 20 minute walk, ice skating session, making snowpeople or x-country ski adventure!
The Norwegians have a saying, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” Totally true!

Yeah. I don’t have good clothing for 35F and raining, but i basically agree with that sentiment.

I recommend trying out several types of warm clothing to see what works for you.

Personally, “don’t restrict my circulation” is really important, so I tend not to want a lot of layers, as they tend to bunch up and can end up making me colder. It was a revelation to me when i took off the second set of socks, skiing, and my feet stopped getting cold. But a lot of people swear by layers, so it must work for many people. Try borrowing some stuff to see what you like before you buy a lot of clothes that might not work for you.

As for humidifiers, YMMV. I remember my mother having one in my parents’ bedroom back in West Texas, and it turned the room into a dripping tropical zone. I could not stand going in there. Have not liked them since.

I do have a cold weather story! Once went cross-country skiing with a group, and I brought a second pair of socks. It was complete bliss to put the new dry socks on at the end of the day.

I was doing a lot better than the guy who slid into a creek in his brand new leather jacket. :upside_down_face:

Didn’t read all of the responses, but I’ll offer this:

Buy ice grips that slip on over your shoes/boots. You’re not impressing anyone by falling on your ass, and these allow you to march along with relatively little danger of falling. Also, do NOT put your hands in your pockets when walking on slick surfaces, unless you’re into broken elbows or a busted skull. Wear gloves so you have your hands free to break your fall.

I’ve had similar issues working remotely as far as socks go. The layers have to be loose enough not to constrict, especially your feet!

Also worth noting that this is why you buy your winter boots at least a half size bigger than your street shoes.

Probably at least a full size bigger.

I don’t live in the cold, but I used to ride a motor cycle, and I wore multiple layers with many pockets.

Unless you carry a purse, decide which pocket your car keys go in, and always put them in that pocket. When you’re dressed for weather, that may not be the same pocket you use while indoors: it might be the left patch pocket on your overcoat, or your pants pocket under 3 layers. But if you’re wearing 15 pockets, you don’t want to have to look in all of them.

Or, of course, solve the problem with a modern car that has a proximity key and a start switch. But if you carry a wallet, make the same kind of decision.

When it’s cold like a fridge outside, extra 6 packs are perfectly chilled out doors. Yes I drink cold beer in winter.

The advice I was given is to try on your shoes with the socks you plan to wear.

Personally, I still do better with one pair of socks, not too thick. But I second whoever said that it can be really blissful to change into a clean dry pair of socks after exercising.

The one redeeming feature I found about living through winter in the cold country was having an infinite freezer. Just made a cauldron of soup and want to pack the leftovers? Fill those containers, set them outside on the covered porch and all is well. No more overflowing fridge or freezer. At least until spring.


As to layering, I’m a big believer. But you do have to beware of ending up with a too-small outer layer and constricting. Especially a problem for feet & hands.

I had/have very thin silk long underwear. Tops, bottoms, and socks. They’re very, very thin, light, and stretchy without being elastic. Wearing those next to your skin adds very close to zero bulk, but makes a huge difference in warmth. Far better silk longies and a medium jacket than a t-shirt and a parka.

I travel between the tropics and the northern US every week. I’m scrawny and can’t acclimatize. Silkies are a must-have item.

Like a lot of rental parking, just a big parking lot with barrier gates and a card reader at the entrance. No power available at all.

Dump your power wagon more frequently during cold weather!

A Power Wagon is basically a big, motorized wheelbarrow. My gf fills it with the horseshit from the stalls. My job is to start it (rope pull) and take it to the dumpsite, where it turns into beautiful soil.
During cold weather it is more difficult to start, especially if you avoid dumping it for a few days. Additionally, all the shit eventually freezes into one giant shitberg.

Chicken grit also works

So re: cat litter only if it’s sand ?

My cats use a clay based litter but for traction in slippery conditions stick with sand imo.

Clay litter works just fine, especially if sand isn’t readily available. I don’t use enough in any one winter to justify the hassle of finding and storing a 50lb sack of sand.